Beaver believers!

For date night number four, Stephen and I went to the OSU, UW football game! We had contemplated going for a while, but decided our weekend would probably be too busy and I hadn't put in a request off work so I'd most likely be working... But then we found out I got off at 5 and Ben and Amanda were going and, well, we just couldn't resist the chance to see our Beavers play!

And lose?! The one and only game we'll go to this season and we got to watch the beavers lose their undefeated streak... Never in history have they been 7-0! How fun would it have been to be winners in the sea of all that purple and gold! Regardless, it was a fun night :)

We opted to go to the game a little late because I was exhausted from work and needed some grub, so after dinner we made our way to a coffee shop for pumpkin lattes and doughnuts (OSU colors and all! I was too anxious to eat it to wait for the picture!) We hopped on a couple buses and made our way to the stadium! Since the Husky stadium is under construction, the games are held in the Century Link field downtown where the Seahawks play! We missed the worst of the rain, and part of the 1st quarter, but the rest of the game was intense and fun! :)

I'll take a 6-1 season over the Huskies 4-4 season any day!

twenty-three.

23 weeks, 3 days down, 16 weeks and 4 days to go! (Relatively, of course.) It's so crazy how time flies by, yet drags on at the same time... Baby boy is coming soon and we've better start preparing because he'll be here before we know it! :)

When my mom and sister were in town, they came with me to register! Babies R Us is by far the most overwhelming store...ever. What is this? Do I need this? It comes in how many colors? It goes where? Seriously, who knew! Plenty of time after we arrived, though, baby Wall has a registry! (That I keep updating and changing because I keep remembering and forgetting and changing my mind...)

Baby boy Wall also got an entire new wardrobe when my family was in town! A 50% discount at Gap is hard to beat, so little Uriah is going to be one preppy kid! Bringing home all those small clothes made it feel a little more real, though, not that the belly growing under my shirt doesn't keep reminding me... I can just start to picture him in those outfits and wrapping him up in those blankets... And then I start smiling and crying and getting all mushy.

I had another doctor's appointment last Wednesday and am happy to say that everything looks good! My belly is measuring a little small and baby boy is measuring a little big, so we're still going with the February 21st due date! His heartbeat was hard to hear because he was moving around so much the doctor couldn't follow him! Just like he did with daddy's stethoscope, he would kick/punch the Doppler wherever it went on my belly! Though he doesn't need something on my belly to be kicking and punching! Still, constantly, all the time he is moving around! And though it makes it hard to fall asleep, wakes me up in the middle of the night, sends me to the bathroom twice as much... I love the feeling and wouldn't trade it for the world! :)

I have also gained four pounds! (The only time in life I will be celebrating weight gain!) I've still only gained 7 pounds this whole pregnancy, but I did almost a pound a week since my last doctor's appointment so she was pleased and not too worried. Work helps me keep my appetite up and smells are bothering me less and less so I've been eating more and more!

I have little else to report on baby and momma! Stephen and I are just as excited as ever to meet him and bring him into this world and our family... He is loved so much already!

timeflies

With no Monday midterm to prepare for, Stephen has found himself with a little extra time on his hands this week (Though studying, he still does constantly. Like, right now). Thus, date night. Or four. And date night number two was last night... We went to a Timeflies concert!

While searching for new study tunes last year when we were living in Anchorage, Stephen came across Timeflies; two new artists from the East Coast. Really, I have no idea how to describe their music because they do a little bit of everything. Rap, freestyle, singing, techno, slow, remix, original, acoustic, steel drums, Disney songs... Hey, I said everything. Seattle was their first West Coast gig and I thought it went very well :) It was a small (which I liked) and gross (which I didn't like) venue, but the energy and music were awesome! When I saw on Facebook they were coming to Seattle, I ran into the study, pulled out Stephen's headphones and told him that we had to go! He listens to them all day, every day while studying, I wanted him to be able to see them in concert before they head back to the East Coast and never show their faces in this rain again! ;) So we bought the tickets and made it a date! I was a little nervous about going to a concert pregnant, I didn't want to piss baby off with so much loud noise, nor did I want to get weird questionable stares. Yes, I'm pregnant. Yes, I'm at a techno concert. I wore a shirt that hid my bump (somewhat) and found myself covering my belly with my hands as if to cover Uriah's ears, but I got no stares and baby didn't seem to mind the noise! Double yay!

Though date night with Stephen and Cal (the lead singer, whom we both have a crush on) will be hard to top, I'm still looking forward to date night number three. Which includes cuddling, chocolate milk, Pride and Prejudice, and starts in about five minutes...

Oh, to the drunk brunette who stroked my husband's arm and pinched his back and then told me he wasn't interested in her because he's only into girls who put out... Obviously. How do you think I got pregnant?! ;)

girls weekend!

Midterms on Mondays, flag football on Tuesdays, volleyball on Wednesdays... Is there anything this husband of mine doesn't do? Not to mention attending classes for five hours a day, five days a week, waking up at six am to study, study, study!, attending church every Sunday and spending time in His word, the occasional cooking and cleaning, paying all sorts of attention to his wife, and all the while being ridiculously charming and good looking... Seriously! Did I marry Superman? ;) And after a friends' house warming party on Thursday, he put up with having four girls in his house for the weekend while studying for his fourth midterm in a row! Which, he passed :)

It was definitely different having four girls around for the weekend, but different in a fun way! Waking up to Harper's sweet sounds in the morning, staying up later than usual talking with my mom and sister, having a reason to buy ice cream and oreos, and oh the shopping...!

Friday, the four of us ventured downtown (after a very lazy morning talking and relaxing and enjoying each other's company) to contribute to Seattle's economy, which we did generously! There aren't a lot of shops in Pocatello (ok, there are no shops in Pocatello) so mom and Ashley had a lot on their list! H&M, Anthropolgie, Forever21, Nordstrom, Victoria Secret, Old Navy, Gap... Lots of baby clothes later we made our way home! (Which is where the ice cream and oreos came in!)
On Saturday morning we met up with Ben and Amanda and Natalie so my mom could take their family pictures! And though I haven't seen them on the screen, just on the back of my mom's camera, they're soo cute! Such a beautiful family to photograph :) She also snapped a few of Stephen and I and baby Uriah in my belly! I'll be sure to share when I get them back! After photos and lunch, us girls walked over to the Uvillage shopping district where I work just across the street from our house (Yes, more shopping!). I got to show them around my Gap, enjoyed some Starbucks pumpkin spice lattes, and a made a few more stops before coming home to make my favorite Cuban dish for dinner!
Sunday means church around here and Stephen and I dragged their butts with us! It was a wonderful sermon (As usual!) on truly "seeing", one that I would love to share with you in a different post! I loved getting to share that with my mom and sister! Our faith is such a huge and important part of our lives and our marriage, I wanted them to be able to see a piece of that. After the usual doughnuts and coffee that follow the sermon, we headed home for cuddle time and naps, before us girls made our way to Babies R Us so I could register! Most overwhelming store, EVER! But a successful trip nonetheless. We ended Sunday as we had the other days, eating ice cream, loving on Harper, and playing games :)
On Monday, as Stephen headed out to take his midterm, we headed for downtown to go to Pikes Place Market! (I still can't believe Ashley had never been to Seattle!) We got our doughnuts and dried fruit and wandered the booths and watched the fish fly... It was chilly and sprinkling but between the market and more shops we had ourselves a fun afternoon! I took them to the airport after and hated every minute of it! It's always hard to say goodbye to family but especially now that I'm pregnant and oh so emotional! I love and appreciate the two of them more than they will ever know! And then there's Harper... Whom I can't even begin to talk about without tearing up! So let's just say they are missed... badly...

Harper picture overload? No such thing :) She is the most beautiful babe, always laughing and smiling... Just like her momma. I loved every minute of their visit and already can't wait to see them again during the holidays! Thank you for coming to visit, thank you for clothing my child in the cutest clothes, thank you for loving me and my husband, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! We love you!

P.S. Cheers to my 100th blog post and our 14,160 something views! Happy to share our adventures with you! :)

Sunday in Seattle

Fall is in full swing in Seattle! Every day I wake up to the oh so wonderful smell of wet pavement from the rain during the night and want to put on a pair of fuzzy socks, bake some cookies, grab a good book off the shelf, and be extra cozy with Stephen in bed all day. The trees are every shade of green, yellow, orange, and red, and the air is always crisp and fresh. Every where you look there are signs of fall... Including in my wardrobe! It is the perfect time for scarves and boots and I am thoroughly enjoying this change in outfits.

Honestly, it's all a little breath taking and picture perfect and I'm going to miss it when the trees are bare and the rain is more constant. But then I am sure to fall in love with some cute rain boots and a fun umbrella and puddle jumping and winter coats and hot chocolate and Christmas decorations...

But before winter officially hits, Stephen and I have a lot to look forward to! I am continuing to work and am starting to fall into my role more and more and liking it more and more. Stephen is still working his way through school with his third midterm in a row tomorrow! My mom, sister, and niece are coming to visit for the weekend! Which will include lots of shopping and baking and baby talk and loving on Miss Harper Jean. (I am sooo excited!!) We have a doctor's appointment next Wednesday to check up on our baby boy! We're attending a Timeflies concert on the 25th! (Pregnant lady at a techno concert...that will be interesting!) Halloween is coming up! (Candy, anyone?!) Many flag football and volleyball games to play and attend! And Stephen's parents are coming to visit in early November! I think it goes without saying, but we're pretty excited for all that we having going on :)

Lots of excitement about that little bump ^^ going on, too :) He has officially joined gymnastics and is currently (as I'm sitting on the couch with a fuzzy blanket sipping on a smoothie) making my tummy jump and roll, the first time I've seen him move! I paused from the blog to have a happy dance moment with Stephen and shed a tear or two... I get to carry our baby boy inside me and forever hold these memories... I still can't wrap my head around it all... How crazy and wonderful it is!

I've been thinking lately about having Uriah here and what our lives will look like with a baby, and then a toddler, and then a child... And for some reason I keep picturing sending him off to his senior prom in a tux... I want to be such a good mom; we both want to be such good parents... But what does that look like? Do we know what we're doing? Will I be a good example for my son? Am I already, or do I have work to do before he gets here?

I do know that more than anything I want to invest more time in my son than I do money. I want to show him love and grace and fill his life with light and laughter. I want him to know Christ, and I know that he must get to know him through me. And I know that's not necessarily how it always works. Jesus finds the believers and the non, he finds them in Christian homes and in college sororities. "But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." I want Uriah to know the love of Christ because of my relationship with Christ. So do I have a relationship with Christ that radiates onto others? Will Christ's love shine through me so that my son will know Him?

Today in church we discussed Acts 4-6 and the barriers that prevent us from having a relationship with Christ. Our pastor told us a story about taking a group of teenagers on a hike, a hike that required the use of an ice ax once you reached a certain point. When they could travel no more without the use of the ice ax, he began to teach them how to use it. To really practice, after they'd learned, he pushed them down the hill and they had to use their ax to stop them from going any further. One student towards the end of the line refused to be pushed down the hill. And because he refused to use his ax in practice, he was not allowed to continue on the hike. He was stuck.

Our pastor then related this hike to having Jesus in our lives. We like Jesus, we say we like Him as a whole, but truthfully have a problem with one part. "We like Christ until His ethics effect us." It's like every person voting in the upcoming election. "Yes, manage the budget! Just don't touch the defense part, or the social security part, or the _______ part!" Whatever part of the budget that effects your life, is the part you don't want to change. "We only want Jesus in certain parts of our lives" ..."I want Jesus in my life until He starts effecting my sexual behavior, or my relationship with my family, or my _______" Whatever part of your life changes because you know Jesus, is the part of Jesus that you don't like. Whatever it is that you don't want to give up, becomes a barrier to Christ.

So just like the kid on the hike who is stuck and can go no further, most of us are stuck. We can continue going to church and praying and saying we have a relationship with Jesus, but if we're not willing to get pushed down the trail and use our ice ax, we're never going to reach the top. And stopping before you get to the top, will lead you to misrepresent Christ. And I don't want to do that. Not for myself, not for those around me, not for my son...

So what is my barrier? What is stopping me from reaching the top of the hill, from having a true and full relationship with Christ? What's stopping you?

before he put a ring on it

When my parents were in town for Stephen's graduation two years ago in Oregon, I had my mom do a photo shoot with Stephen and I. I wanted some nice pictures of us before he moved back to Alaska and I moved back to Idaho. ...Smart idea, Allison! I love having these pictures to document that time in our lives. They sorta became pre-engagement photos, though at the time I think I was the only one planning on our engagement ;) I found them rummaging through my computer today and couldn't help but share...

I officially believe we look best when we're together.

And as a completely different side note, happy Founders Day to those Delta Chi's like my handsome husband, and to those Kappa Kappa Gamma ladies like myself. ...We even share a fraternity founder's day... could it have been more perfect ;)

twenty-one

Yes, my backside is still glowing, but it's better than the insane glare that came off my glasses when I faced the other way...

I have completed 21 weeks and am a couple days into my 22nd week! (But who knows how big baby boy is actually measuring!) More than halfway done? Say whhaaat?! When I think about June and when we found out we were expecting, it seems soo long ago; we've done so much since then! But, then when I really think about it, it was practically just the other day. So I'm divided between freaking out that baby is coming way too soon and being incredibly impatient that he won't be here for a while! I can't even begin to explain how excited I am to meet him and hold him and kiss him and see what he looks like and to start our lives with him! But I'm also trying really hard to not wish this time away, and enjoy these last few months alone with Stephen and the experience of being pregnant.

I can officially feel baby boy move on the regular. There were two times before my last appointment when I was 18 weeks and something days where I was sure I felt him move. But at the appointment, the ultrasound tech said my placenta was still pretty thick and I wouldn't be able to feel him moving for a few more weeks... Well, she was wrong. Every time I lay down he is rolling and kicking and I'm positive that that's what I felt when I was 18 weeks! Uriah :) I've felt him from the inside and out and Stephen's been able to feel him move, now, too! It's the craziest, weirdest, most wonderful feeling!

My belly bump is still small, and even though I know when I'm 9 months pregnant and don't look 9 months pregnant I'll be really thankful, I am anxious to get bigger! Most people at work have no idea I'm pregnant until I find away to bring it up in the conversation, and I've had two customers assume that I just found out I was pregnant and couldn't believe I was actually 5 months along... But today! I had a customer ask me when I was due, without telling her I was pregnant! The very first person to notice I was pregnant and say something about it (that didn't already know...)! I could have hugged her.

And even if my belly isn't expanding, my boobs sure are. They caused me nothing but pain for the first three plus months and now they're just in the way. Most of my dresses and some of my shirts no longer fit, not due to the baby bump. I went from a 34 C to a 36 D. D, people. As in damn! Tmi? Maybe. But I'm convinced that if they continue to expand along with my belly, I will not be able to stand up.

I don't have a scale at home so I don't know how my weight gaining is going, but hopefully well! Working has made my appetite go up a little, but I still don't know if I'm eating enough to work towards that pound a week I'm aiming for... But the ice cream in the freezer is helping! ;)

I bought my first pair of maternity pants...! Most of my pants still fit with a rubber band around the button, a few still button all on their own! But I've got a few that I can barley zip and those few happen to be my favorite jeans. So with such a wonderful discount at work I bought myself some maternity pants! (And some other fun prego clothes!) And the second I slipped them on I wondered why I haven't been wearing them all this time. They're soo comfortable! I can bend down without them busting at the seems and they don't press on my bladder that is always about to erupt, anyway! I might never take them off! ;)

My energy level, appetite, and excitement are all up, and I'm feeling really good! (Minus one day of very bad back pain) Love this little man and am so excited to bring him into this world and this crazy fun life of ours :)

a name

We had just found out you were a boy. Sitting in the doctors office waiting for her to come in, your dad and I sat together grinning from ear to ear, daydreaming about you and your life, looking at your ultrasound pictures (and your proudly displayed parts!). Amongst the anxious and excited glances and smiles, your dad turned to me and said, "Uriah". Nothing more, nothing less. And I just knew. That was your name. Why had I wasted so much time looking up other names? Why hadn't I thought of that before? It's not that that's what I wanted to name you, that already was your name.
The doctor came in not too long after and we got all caught up in the appointment... After a stop at the store for a maple bar (your favorite treat!) we made it home and made our phone calls! We were so excited to tell Nana and Papa and Grandma and Grandpa you were a boy! All your aunts and uncles, too. Texting pictures and using a lot of exclamation points...!! Everyone is so excited to meet you; you are already so loved :)
Later that night I sat down as your dad was studying and started going through my list of baby names. I wasn't in a hurry to choose your name, I wanted it to be perfect and I wanted to love it as much as I already love you, but now that we knew you were a boy everything was so much more real! I added 'Uriah' to the long list of favorites and started looking up more names. I found a few more that I liked and started bouncing ideas off family. Every name I threw out there that got shot down, I crossed off my list. I usually agreed with whatever reason they had for not liking it and knew that there were names on the list I liked more, anyway. And then 'Uriah' got shot down. But no matter how hard I tried to agree with them, I couldn't cross it off my list. It just stuck with me. Over the next week I had narrowed it down to two names, 'Noah' and 'Uriah'. And, truthfully, I spent all that week trying not to like 'Uriah'. For so long I had loved the name 'Noah', I hadn't quite gotten used to 'Uriah' yet, and not everyone had responded well to it when I said it was an option. So I started making excuses. "I can't picture calling a baby Uriah, just an adult", or "Everyone else said he'd get teased at school"...  Your dad wasn't buying it, he still loved it. And despite my attempts, so did I. (I'll deny it if you tell him this, but he's the smarter one and he's usually right about this kind of stuff.)
Then, last night (Thursday, October 4, 2012, the day I completed my 20th week of pregnancy), as your dad and I lay down for bed, unbeknownst to me, he got out his phone to look up baby names and said a little prayer, that God would give us your name. That if he was to stumble upon your name that night, that God would let it be known to us that that was your name. As he starts reading off names I laid there and closed my eyes. And when I did, I saw a little boy. I saw you, standing by a river. You had white blonde hair that curled at the nape of your neck and you were tossing rocks into the river. You were wearing a candy apple red coat, with plaid liner in the hood, and blue jeans with the cutest slip on shoes! You must have been about three years old, and I was videotaping you. And in this vision I'm calling out your name, every name... "Jude!" "Everett!" "Lucas!" "Noah!" But you weren't turing around. And then I said, "Uriah!", and you turned around... And you looked just like your daddy... And you smiled at me, briefly, then turned back around to toss another rock in the river...
And then the tears came. Partly because I was so in love and excited and partly because I'm 20 something weeks pregnant and I do that a lot, but I knew. Amongst my tears I said to your dad, "His name is Uriah", and we both fell into a laughing, crying fit over giving our baby his name. Your name.
I tried, then, picturing you in my arms as a baby, and calling you 'Noah', but it just didn't fit. It wasn't your name. It may be your little brother's name someday, but it's not your name.

Your name is Uriah Michael Wall, and we love you.

Uriah means 'God is my light', and we hope for you that he is. Michael means 'A gift from God', which you certainly are. (It's also your Papa Ryan's name, your Uncle Jonathan's middle name, and your Great Grandpa Wall's middle name!) And Wall is a name you share with us, something you will always have to remind you of home. 

the way my iphone sees it

Half a cake for Stephen's half birthday, napping on a Saturday with my favorite Seattle babe, Facetiming with my cutest, sweetest niece, fall walks and bike rides, letuce/turkey/guacamole/cucumber wraps, baby boy at 20 weeks, homemade mini cinnamon rolls, baby's first clothes from his momma...

Things my iphone hasn't captured... My first week of work, yummy chicken pasta, Stephen doing all the dishes on Friday, napping on the love sac on the porch under the sun, breaking my bike lock key and having to walk home from the gym, Aunt Teri and Uncle John coming to visit, the world's largest maple bar, and a beautiful Sunday at church.

So happy to have this life :) Happy Sunday, all!

today

Today we went on a walk.

Seattle is beautiful. All the trees are turning yellow and red and the weather is incredible, cool and crisp in the mornings and warm during the days. I really don't think it could be any more perfect... So for Stephen's Saturday study break we walked our way through campus to University Ave. where there is an American Apparel and the cutest baby boy bro tanks and hoodies...just like daddy's :) After some more window shopping and walking, we took advantage of our two for one coupon at Qdoba and walked our way home, where we sat on the bedroom floor in our jammies and scarfed down our burritos.

Today I am feeling overwhelmed with joy at this life I have been so privileged to live. How does God see me as deserving of all of this? My incredible husband, my baby boy, our nice home, our safety, the food in our bellies, our friends and family... Though I won't stop to question Him too long. Instead, I will smile and laugh and soak it all in and thank Him profusely for all I have been given.

oh boy

As much as I (and every girl) love bows and polka dots and ruffles and little flower headbands... how could you not love all this, too?!

1: Cutest little striped jumper from Old Navy, perfect for our little winter babe.
2-12: Just about everything on Gap.com. Is a toggle vest necessary for a baby? Um, no. But am I going to buy it anyway? Most likely. And little man polo onsies and waffle knit sweaters?! ...Really loving this employee discount.
13: V-neck onsie from Ever After on Gilt.com. Because any child of Stephen's must own a v-neck.
14: Baby TOMS! Need I say more?

Ohh the stripes and elbow patches and baby button downs and ears on everything... I am in love.

"let's take a turn about the room, shall we"

One of my favorite movies... Pride and Prejudice. In a super awkward scene where the evil sister attempts to embarrass Miss Elizabeth in front of Mr. Darcy, she asks her to take 'a turn about the room', to talk while everyone else watches and listens. Awkward. It is, regardless, a top favorite of mine, and in honor of all the Pride and Prejudice things in our home (aka the dvd case and the one Pride and Prejudice quote I wrote on the white board in Stephen's study), I'd like to invite you to take a turn about the room...

The living room slash library slash my study slash dining room, where the love sac is just as big as our love seat. Also where you will find my one and only sad attempt at fall decorating... the autumn colored pendent banner hanging above our window. I do love our extremely full bookshelves and our teeny tiny dining room table, though. I can't paint (which I want to so badly!) and we don't have the money to invest in beautiful wonderful things, but these are our things... It's a full living room, but it feels like home :) Full of remnants from our wedding (old crates, bottles, books...) and pictures of our family... This is where we're bring baby home :)
And then the kitchen where I kindly left out the pictures of the overflowing sink of dishes. Though I also left out my super cool very favorite spice rack hanging above the sink...
Stephen's study, where I leave random love and encouragement notes once a week. Also where I sneak in and clean up once a week! Organize his books and papers, clear off his desk, fold his clothes, color coordinate his closet... You know...
And then the bathroom, which I'm sure you were all just dying to see.
Oh yes, and then there's me. Walking around our home taking pictures in my jammies. Woof, I need to clean that mirror...

my favorite room in the house

Welcome to our bedroom. My favorite room in the house! The dresser that will soon become a changing table, the 'S & A' signed by all our family and friends from our wedding, the giraffe and turtle stuffed animals that represent us.... Our new "big girl" bed set, Nana's stuffed animal bear, all the photos of us throughout our relationship... I could spend my entire day in this room! In fact, today I've done just that! Laying here with my belly out, an open window, the light streaming in, sipping on a banana smoothie, bible reading, and baby boy pinteresting... It's a good day :)